"Few things in life are as positive as food, or are taken as intimately and completely by the individual. One can listen to music, but the sound may enter in one ear and go out through the other; one may listen to a lecture or conversation, and day-dream about many other things; one may attend to matters of business, and one's heart or interest may be altogether elsewhere ... In the matter of food and eating however one can hardly remain completely indifferent to what one is doing for long. How can one remain entirely indifferent to something which is going to enter one's body and become part of oneself? How can one remain indifferent to something which will determine one's physical strength and ultimately one's spiritual and moral fibre and well-being?" Kenneth Lo

---- Kenneth Lo

[summary] Kenneth Lo thinks that eating is the most important thing in life.

[author] Keenth Lo, a Chinese British, is a well-known gourmet and successful restaurant owner. He wrote a number of books on food.

1. Few things in life are as positive as food, or are taken as intimately and completely by the individual.

[grammatical point] as...as
The first ‘as' is often dropped in an informal style, especially in American English.
She's hard as nails.
When a personal pronoun follows the second ‘as', we can use either a subject-form or an object-form. Subject forms are more common in a formal style, but object-forms are much more common in informal speech and writing.
She is as clever as me.
The dress is twice as expensive as that.
He looks as ill as he sounded on the phone.

2. One can listen to music, but the sound may enter in one ear and go out through the other...

enter in one ear and go out through the other: go in at one ear and out at the out, be heard but either ignored or quickly forgotten一耳进，一耳出；左耳进，右耳出；当作耳边风
You've forgotten to buy the eggs! It (i.e. What I tell you) enters in one ear and go out through the other.

3. ...one may attend to matters of business, and one's heart or interest may be altogether elsewhere...

[paraphrase] One may take care of business matters, and at the same time one may be absent-minded...

4. In the matter of food and eating however one can hardly remain completely indifferent to what one is doing for long.

in the matter of sth.: concerning sth.关于某事物
I want to speak to her in the matter of my salary.
[idioms]
It's all, (only, etc) a matter of time (before...): This consequence is inevitable though it may not happen immediately只是迟早的问题
let the matter drop / rest: stop mentioning sth. or trying to change it就此作罢
make matters worse: make an already difficult situation more difficult将事情弄得更糟糕
a matter of sth. / doing sth. 涉及……之问题
a matter of life or death: issue that is crucial to survival, success, etc生死攸关的事情；成败关键
a matter of opinion: issue on which there is disagreement见仁见智的事
It's simply a matter of time before the rebels are crushed.
She reluctantly agreed to let the matter drop.
Her attempts to calm them down only made matters worse.
Dealing with these problems is all a matter of experience.
Of course this must have priority --- it's a matter of life and death.
"She is a fine singer." "That's a matter of opinion."

be indifferent to sb. / sth.: having no interest in sb. / sth.漠不关心，毫不在乎
How can you be indifferent to thee sufferings of starving people?

5. How can one remain indifferent to something which will determine one's physical strength and ultimately one's spiritual and moral fibre and well-being?

determine: decide forcefully, strongly决定，决意 cause something to be decided确定
He determined to work harder.
The money we have will determine how long we can stay there.

and ultimately one's spiritual and moral fibre and well-being:
and food can determine whether a person is spiritual and morally strong and sound

ultimately: considered as a foundation or base 基础地，基本地
The president is ultimately responsible for the affair.

moral: concerning character, behavior, or actions, considered or judged as being good or evil, right or wrong道德上的；based on the idea of what is right (compared with what is lawful)精神上的，良心上的，道义上的
Commercial matters must be judged by moral as well as business standards.
His judgment was based on the law of the land and not on moral law.
cf. ethical: morally right or good合乎道德的
I shouldn't do that; it isn't ethical.

[summary] A large number of Westerners regard food simply as a kind of fuel and do not think that it has any moral effect on them.

1. Many people in the West are gourmets and others are gluttons, but scattered among them also is a large number of people who are apparently indifferent to what goes into their stomachs, and do not regard food as having any ultimate moral effect on them.

gourmet: n. person who enjoys and is expert in the choice of fine food, wines, etc. 美食家
gourmet restaurant: a place serving fine food 菜肴精美的餐馆

glutton: person who eats too much 贪吃的人，吃得过多的人
You've eaten the whole pie, you glutton!
[idiom] glutton for sth.: person always ready for more (of sth. difficult or unpleasant) 甘于承受更多困难、不快事物的人

scatter: v. (of things or persons) to go, usu quickly, in different directions 分散，散去
The people scattered when the soldiers came.

stomach: n. (informal) front part of the body between the chest and thighs; abdomen 肚子； bag-like organ of the body into which food passes when swallowed and in which the first part of digestion occurs 胃
He hit me in the stomach.
It's unwise to swim on a full stomach, i.e. when one has just eaten a meal.
[idioms]
stomach for sth.: desire or eagerness for sth. 对某事物的欲望或渴求
I had no stomach for a fight.
sb's eyes are bigger that his stomach: sb. is too greedy in asking for or taking more food than he can eat 眼大肚小；眼馋肚饱
He is a person whose eyes are bigger than his stomach.
a strong stomach: ability not to feel nausea不感到恶心
You have to have a strong stomach to watch animals being slaughtered.
turn one's stomach: to cause sb. to be disgusted or revolted使某人反胃或恶心
The film about eye operations turned my stomach.

regard as: to consider as 视为，认为是
I regard your action as a crime.

have effect on: to change produced by an action or cause; result or outcome 效应；结果；后果
The film had quite an effect on her.
[idioms]
bring / put sth. into effect: to cause sth. to come into use 使某物开始使用
come into effect: (esp of laws, rules, etc) to reach the stage of being in use （尤指法律，规则等）实施，实行
give effect to sth: to cause sth. to become active or produce a result 使某事物实行起来，使生效
The new system will soon be put into effect.
The new seat-belt regulations came into effect last week.
The new ruling gives effect to recommendations of the special committee.

2. How, they might ask, could eating a hamburger or drinking Coca Cola contribute anything to making you a saint or a sinner?

hamburger: flat round cake of minced beef, usu fried and eaten with onions, often in a bread roll 汉堡包

Coca Cola: popular non-alcoholic carbonated drink 可口可乐

contribute to: 1) be one of the causes 有助于；促成，是……的部分原因
　　　　　　 2) join with others in giving or supplying (money, help, etc) 捐（款），捐助；（和别人在一起）出力协助
　　　　　　 3) increase sth.; add to sth. 增加某事物，添加到某事物中去
Plenty of fresh air contributes to good health.
Although he has plenty of money he never contributes to anybody's leaving present at work.
Her work has contributed enormously to our understanding of this difficult subject.

saint: a person of a holy and admired way of life, esp one given the title of saint in the Roman Catholic Church after death 圣者；圣徒
He is one of the living saints of Hinduism.

sinner: a person who has done wrong 罪人
We should help sinners.

[summary] A large number of Westerners regard food simply as a kind of fuel and do not think that it has any moral effect on them.

1. Many people in the West are gourmets and others are gluttons, but scattered among them also is a large number of people who are apparently indifferent to what goes into their stomachs, and do not regard food as having any ultimate moral effect on them.

gourmet: n. person who enjoys and is expert in the choice of fine food, wines, etc. 美食家
gourmet restaurant: a place serving fine food 菜肴精美的餐馆

glutton: person who eats too much 贪吃的人，吃得过多的人
You've eaten the whole pie, you glutton!
[idiom] glutton for sth.: person always ready for more (of sth. difficult or unpleasant) 甘于承受更多困难、不快事物的人

scatter: v. (of things or persons) to go, usu quickly, in different directions 分散，散去
The people scattered when the soldiers came.

stomach: n. (informal) front part of the body between the chest and thighs; abdomen 肚子； bag-like organ of the body into which food passes when swallowed and in which the first part of digestion occurs 胃
He hit me in the stomach.
It's unwise to swim on a full stomach, i.e. when one has just eaten a meal.
[idioms]
stomach for sth.: desire or eagerness for sth. 对某事物的欲望或渴求
I had no stomach for a fight.
sb's eyes are bigger that his stomach: sb. is too greedy in asking for or taking more food than he can eat 眼大肚小；眼馋肚饱
He is a person whose eyes are bigger than his stomach.
a strong stomach: ability not to feel nausea不感到恶心
You have to have a strong stomach to watch animals being slaughtered.
turn one's stomach: to cause sb. to be disgusted or revolted使某人反胃或恶心
The film about eye operations turned my stomach.

regard as: to consider as 视为，认为是
I regard your action as a crime.

have effect on: to change produced by an action or cause; result or outcome 效应；结果；后果
The film had quite an effect on her.
[idioms]
bring / put sth. into effect: to cause sth. to come into use 使某物开始使用
come into effect: (esp of laws, rules, etc) to reach the stage of being in use （尤指法律，规则等）实施，实行
give effect to sth: to cause sth. to become active or produce a result 使某事物实行起来，使生效
The new system will soon be put into effect.
The new seat-belt regulations came into effect last week.
The new ruling gives effect to recommendations of the special committee.

2. How, they might ask, could eating a hamburger or drinking Coca Cola contribute anything to making you a saint or a sinner?

hamburger: flat round cake of minced beef, usu fried and eaten with onions, often in a bread roll 汉堡包

Coca Cola: popular non-alcoholic carbonated drink 可口可乐

contribute to: 1) be one of the causes 有助于；促成，是……的部分原因
　　　　　　 2) join with others in giving or supplying (money, help, etc) 捐（款），捐助；（和别人在一起）出力协助
　　　　　　 3) increase sth.; add to sth. 增加某事物，添加到某事物中去
Plenty of fresh air contributes to good health.
Although he has plenty of money he never contributes to anybody's leaving present at work.
Her work has contributed enormously to our understanding of this difficult subject.

saint: a person of a holy and admired way of life, esp one given the title of saint in the Roman Catholic Church after death 圣者；圣徒
He is one of the living saints of Hinduism.

sinner: a person who has done wrong 罪人
We should help sinners.

[summary] A large number of Westerners regard food simply as a kind of fuel and do not think that it has any moral effect on them.

1. Many people in the West are gourmets and others are gluttons, but scattered among them also is a large number of people who are apparently indifferent to what goes into their stomachs, and do not regard food as having any ultimate moral effect on them.

gourmet: n. person who enjoys and is expert in the choice of fine food, wines, etc. 美食家
gourmet restaurant: a place serving fine food 菜肴精美的餐馆

glutton: person who eats too much 贪吃的人，吃得过多的人
You've eaten the whole pie, you glutton!
[idiom] glutton for sth.: person always ready for more (of sth. difficult or unpleasant) 甘于承受更多困难、不快事物的人

scatter: v. (of things or persons) to go, usu quickly, in different directions 分散，散去
The people scattered when the soldiers came.

stomach: n. (informal) front part of the body between the chest and thighs; abdomen 肚子； bag-like organ of the body into which food passes when swallowed and in which the first part of digestion occurs 胃
He hit me in the stomach.
It's unwise to swim on a full stomach, i.e. when one has just eaten a meal.
[idioms]
stomach for sth.: desire or eagerness for sth. 对某事物的欲望或渴求
I had no stomach for a fight.
sb's eyes are bigger that his stomach: sb. is too greedy in asking for or taking more food than he can eat 眼大肚小；眼馋肚饱
He is a person whose eyes are bigger than his stomach.
a strong stomach: ability not to feel nausea不感到恶心
You have to have a strong stomach to watch animals being slaughtered.
turn one's stomach: to cause sb. to be disgusted or revolted使某人反胃或恶心
The film about eye operations turned my stomach.

regard as: to consider as 视为，认为是
I regard your action as a crime.

have effect on: to change produced by an action or cause; result or outcome 效应；结果；后果
The film had quite an effect on her.
[idioms]
bring / put sth. into effect: to cause sth. to come into use 使某物开始使用
come into effect: (esp of laws, rules, etc) to reach the stage of being in use （尤指法律，规则等）实施，实行
give effect to sth: to cause sth. to become active or produce a result 使某事物实行起来，使生效
The new system will soon be put into effect.
The new seat-belt regulations came into effect last week.
The new ruling gives effect to recommendations of the special committee.

2. How, they might ask, could eating a hamburger or drinking Coca Cola contribute anything to making you a saint or a sinner?

hamburger: flat round cake of minced beef, usu fried and eaten with onions, often in a bread roll 汉堡包

Coca Cola: popular non-alcoholic carbonated drink 可口可乐

contribute to: 1) be one of the causes 有助于；促成，是……的部分原因
　　　　　　 2) join with others in giving or supplying (money, help, etc) 捐（款），捐助；（和别人在一起）出力协助
　　　　　　 3) increase sth.; add to sth. 增加某事物，添加到某事物中去
Plenty of fresh air contributes to good health.
Although he has plenty of money he never contributes to anybody's leaving present at work.
Her work has contributed enormously to our understanding of this difficult subject.

saint: a person of a holy and admired way of life, esp one given the title of saint in the Roman Catholic Church after death 圣者；圣徒
He is one of the living saints of Hinduism.

sinner: a person who has done wrong 罪人
We should help sinners.

[summary] The writer explains Lo's typical Chinese position and gives us an addition.

1. Kenneth Lo, however, expresses a point of view that is profoundly different and typically Chinese, deriving from thousands of years of tradition.

a point of view: attitude; opinions 态度，看法，观点
This is unacceptable from my point of view on nuclear power.
[idioms]
a point of order: (in formal discussions, e.g., debates) matter of correct procedure according to the rules （正式讨论中，如答辩时）（符合规定的）程序问题
a point of honor / conscience: thing of great importance to one's honor or conscience 关系到荣誉或良心的事
On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, can associate members vote on this matter?
I always pay my debts punctually; it's a point of honor with me.

derive from sth.: to trace sth. from ( a source) 源自；源于
Thousands of English words derive from Latin.
[phrase] derive sth. from sth.: to obtain sth. from sth. 得到；获得；对某事物追本穷源
She derived no benefit from the source of drugs.
We can derive the word ‘derelict' from the Latin ‘derelictus'.

2. The London restaurateur Fu Tong, for example, quotes no less an authority than Confucius (the ancient sage known in Chinese as K'ung-Fu-Tzu) with regard to the primal importance of food. Food, said the sage, is the first happiness.

[paraphrase] For instance, the London manager Fu Tong cites an important authority as Confucius (the ancient sage known in Chinese as K'ung-Fu-Tzu) in relation to the supreme importance food.

restaurateur: n. manager or owner of a restaurant 餐馆的经理或老板
Fu Tong is a restaurateur.

quote: 1) to mention in order to add power to one's own point of view 举例（以增强自己的观点）；
　　　2) to repeat in speech or writing the words of another (supposedly powerful) 引用；引述；引证；
　　　3) to give (a price) 开（价），报（价），喊（价）
He quoted the case of the man whose wife went with him to Alaska.
Don't quote me on that!
The value of the pound was quoted regularly.

no less an authority than Confucius: an authority as Confucius 如孔夫子那样的权威
[idiom]
no less a person / a thing than: that very important person/thing 非常重要之人/事

Confucius: 孔子（前551---前479），名丘，字仲尼，生于鲁国陬邑昌平乡（今山东曲埠东城东南），中国春秋末期伟大的思想家和教育家，儒家学派的创始人。中国第一位职业教师，名言有"学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆"、"讷于言而敏于行"、"德不孤，必有邻"。
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no less than: as many as, as much as 不少于，多达
We have no less than five acquaintances in this meeting.
We won no less than $500 in a competition.
[idiom] less and less, at a continually decreasing rate 越来越少地
She found the job less and less attractive.

with / in regard to sb. / sth.: in connection with sb. / sth. 关于某人/某物
I have nothing to say with regard to your complaints.
[idiom] as regards sb. / sth.: concerning or connected with sb. / sth. 关于或至于某人/某物
I have little information as regards his past.

primal: adj. first in importance 最重要的，首要的；belonging to, or as if belonging to, original 早期的，原始的
As a producer, he must consider the primal necessity.
Its primal glories will never return.

sage: n. very wise man 圣人，智者
He once consulted the sages of the tribe.

3. Food to my countrymen is one of the ecstasies of life, to be thought in advance; to be smothered with loving care throughout its preparation; and to have time lavished on it in the final pleasure of eating.

ecstasy: (feeling of state) great joy or happiness 狂喜
He went back in an ecstasy of delight.

in advance of sth.: beforehand; ahead in time 预先，事先，事前
The rent must be paid in advance.

to be smothered with loving care throughout its preparation: Great love and care are to be given to the preparation of food.
smother sth. / sb. with / in sth.: to cover sth. / sb., give an excessive amount of sth.以……覆盖/笼罩
The mother smothers his baby with love.

to have time lavished on it in the final pleasure of eating: to spend plenty of time enjoying the food.
lavish sth. on / upon sb. / sth.: give sth. to sb. / sth. abundantly and generously 慷慨而大量的将某物给...
Nowadays many parents lavish care on their only child.